LESSONS FROM JUST TRANSFORMATION, ECOLOGICAL JUSTICE, AND THE FIGHT FOR SELF-DETERMINATION IN PUERTO RICO Primary Authors: Brooke Anderson and Jovanna García Soto Photography: Brooke Anderson Report Team: Jovanna García Soto, Sara Mersha, and Chung-Wha Hong for Grassroots International Brooke Anderson, Michelle Mascarenhas-Swan and Mateo Nube for Movement Generation

Design: Innosanto Nagara sovereignty andself-governance. are atoncebothvisionaryandoppositional,centering frommuch tolearn PuertoRico’s socialmovementswhich inplace,wehave looking tobuildjusttransformation same landsundercommunitycontrol. Forthoseofus the heartofPuertoRico’s mountainsthenbrought those used whentheysuccessfullystoppedopen pit miningin proposal”). That’s thesloganthatwatershed protectors “De laProtesta alaPropuesta” (“From protest to fight forself-determinationinPuertoRico Lessons from justtransformation,ecologicaljustice, andthe PROTESTA YPROPUESTA delegation in the complex inthe delegation hacks at the Webhacks atthe ofLife. “Web to ofLife”activity ground membersofthe all life on earth and the andthe onearth life all ecological erosion that interconnectedness of PHOTO BYBROOKEANDERSON International leadsa International right) ofGrassroots Sara Mersha(far 1 | Protesta y Propuesta Grassroots International Grassroots This spring, of led a delegation Rico to learn to Puerto organizers social movement donors and playing and just transformation are how just recovery from time on the archipelago. at scale, in real out on the ground, who shared Rican organizers met with Puerto The group the navigating not, and how they’re what’s what is working, International Grassroots and contradictions. Afterwards, (MG) Movement Generation JusticeProject & Ecology this report. co-authored ABOUT THIS RESOURCE ABOUT

Protesta y Propuesta | 2 ecological justice. report, and aswellotherconceptssuchself-determination inthis any transition.Assuch,we’llbeusingjusttransformation necessity ofachievingdecolonizationandsovereignty aspartof —especially asawaytocapture justtransformation the term just transition,somePuertoRicansocialmovementsusethe whole economy. WhileU.S.frontline groups oftenusetheterm since furtherevolvedtocapture ofthe systemictransformation burden has onworkersorcommunities. IntheU.S.,term environmental oreconomic that wouldnotputthe workers forajusttransition built commoncausewith polluting industriesthen the fencelineofthese justice communitieson industry. Environmental cost from workinginthat than bearyetanother compensated rather polluting industries,workerswouldberetrained andadequately the labormovementtodemandthatwithphaseoutof justtransitionwasoriginallyusedby In theU.S.,term that are directly governed byworkersandcommunities.” dignified, productive, andecologicallysustainablelivelihoods whole communitiestoward thrivingeconomiesthatprovide orjusttransition,isthework“totransition Just transformation, Just Transformation, orJustTransition AND JUSTRECOVERY JUST TRANSFORMATION 1

from thisframework. available atmovementgeneration.org/justtransition. Thisdocumentdrawsheavily a JustT From “BanksandTanks toCaringandCooperation:AStrategicFramework for ransition” writtenbyMovementGeneration JusticeandEcologyProject GOVERNED DIRECTLY BYWORKERS ANDCOMMUNITIES.” ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODSTHAT ARE ECONOMIES THAT PROVIDE DIGNIFIED,PRODUCTIVE,AND “TO TRANSITIONWHOLECOMMUNITIESTOWARD THRIVING JUST TRANSFORMATION, ORJUSTTRANSITION,ISTHEWORK 1

3 | Protesta y Propuesta Just recovery is connected to just transformation and refers is connected to just transformation and refers Just recovery rebuild efforts recovery and specifically to “Response, communities during centering systematically oppressed to CJA. It requires climate accelerated disasters,” according that frontline such and power, of resources a redistribution positions of leadership to determine in their communities are to build a visionary economy for life. and futures Boricuá elaborates that in of Organización Jesús Vázquez use Just Recovery as a long a Puerto Rican context, “We we practice mutual support for the where term process the relationships empowerment of communities through that have kept us together in the efforts and local organizing and that will guarantee in the present, past, make us stronger such as Puerto Rican organizations together.” us a future building permanently organized Boricuá are Organización communities to both weather the storms regenerative and build economy. As Naomi Klein in her book, The Battle for Paradise, explains: responses important than ever because standard “This is more debt, less pollution, more to disasters leave behind more Just Recovery Rooted in different contexts and conditions, social movements social contexts and conditions, in different Rooted systemic many different have developed the world around just transformation, just transition, frameworks including change wellbeing), community and ecological buen vivir (collective and agroecology. sovereignty, ecofeminism, food in principles outlined heavily from This document borrows ,” which in turn Framework draws on the “Just Transition frontline and lived experiences of the wisdom, strategies Island. The Turtle throughout bioregions communities across in down by Movement Generation framework was written Climate of the Justice organizations concert with member strategies of Alliance the creative (CJA) and learning from At the same time, Puerto Rican social groups. grassroots a just transformationmovements have been fostering and when Framework” with the “Just Transition CJA and MG shared found that it helped illustrate some of the them, many groups advancing in Puerto Rico as principles and strategies they were part of a just transformation.

Protesta y Propuesta | 4 the shocksthatresult from theseinjustices. change andsocialinequality, evenastheyseektoprofit from that are pollutingandintensifying theimpactsofclimate which iscentered intheinterests ofcapitalandcorporations capitalism—an agendathatisbeingimposeduponthemand the people.Theyare confronting thepowerfulforces ofdisaster of Puerto Ricocenteringthewellbeingandself-determination Social movementsandfrontline communitiesare rebuilding translocal organizing? projects toscalethrough shocks, andbringingthose factoring inimpending thinking bysector, structures,governance a roadmap, building movements developing are PuertoRicansocial bioregional scale?How Puerto Rico?Howare PuertoRicansreinventing economyata andjustrecoveryWhat dojusttransformation looklikein on theground inPuertoRico fromLearning JustTransformation andJustRecovery resilient andresistant communities.” systemic racism,deependemocracy, andleavebehind more Recovery wouldreduce pollution,reduce debt,challenge democracy, andaweakerinfrastructure. Incontrast,aJust GUARANTEE USAFUTURETOGETHER.” JESÚSVÁSQUEZ PAST, MAKEUSSTRONGERINTHEPRESENT, ANDTHAT WILL ORGANIZING EFFORTS THAT HAVE KEPTUS TOGETHER INTHE OF COMMUNITIESTHROUGHTHERELATIONSHIPS ANDLOCAL WE PRACTICEMUTUAL SUPPORT FORTHEEMPOWERMENT “WE USEJUSTRECOVERY ASALONGTERMPROCESSWHERE 5 | Protesta y Propuesta —the indigenous Taíno name for Puerto Rico—is Borikén—the indigenous Taíno in the Caribbean Sea, consisting of the an archipelago islands of Puerto Rico, Culebra, Vieques, Mona and others. in the north Puerto Rico is mostly wet and moist forest to the south. It is in the hurricane belt of and dry forest Atlantic and Caribbean. Intricately elegant the Western of the ecosystems abutt key and strategic areas mangrove zones Puerto Rican coast lines, as naturally designed buffer IF ECO MEANS HOME, IF ECO MEANS ARE THE ECOSYSTEMS OF HOME RELATIONSHIPS ecosystems, keystone species, Understanding Puerto Rico’s of home. and relationships 6 PHOTO BY BROOKE ANDERSON. A house stands in the of a midst part of the island heavily remote damaged by Hurricane María. Understanding how human settlement well” “dances with the living is a key part of world managing home well. Protesta y Propuesta | 2 transformation. —is criticaltoconstructingandensuringajust context, interplay,andinterdependence—inanybioregion understand homewell.Understandingthisecological well-being ofawholeisland—webegintoknowand and crustaceans;askeycontributorstotheregulatory refuge forthelarvaeandyoungofmanyfish,mollusks, protectors asthebirthing Rican context—as storm Rican context—asstorm species mangroves asakeystone the criticalrole ofred When weappreciate many placesvulnerable. have beencompromised byhumandevelopment,leaving of thearchipelago’s biologicaldiversity. Manyofthese mangroves serveascriticalandregenerative repositories Richinplantandmarinespecies,these for bigstorms.

become lessresilient. depend, suchthatiftheywere removed theecosystemwouldchangedrastically & Keystone speciesare speciesonwhichother inanecosystemlargely 2 inthePuerto TRANSFORMATION. CRITICAL TO CONSTRUCTINGANDENSURINGAJUST AND INTERDEPENDENCE—INANYBIOREGION—IS UNDERSTANDING THISECOLOGICALCONTEXT, INTERPLAY, 7 | Protesta y Propuesta WHAT YOU DO TO THE LAND THE LAND YOU DO TO WHAT PEOPLE THE YOU DO TO remains the most devastating, Colonization was the first, and in Puerto Rico. form of ecological erosion Taíno Borikén was first inhabited by the indigenous also the principal inhabitants of what people, which were we now call Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, people have a rich history and the Bahamas. The Taíno including as expert weavers, gourd-makers, and culture, canoe-builders, fisherfolk, and farmers—cultivating beans, corn, yuca, and sweet potatoes, and a very biodiverse pharmacy of medicinal plants. PHOTO BY BROOKE stica—or opening í m 8 cultural offering to ground the space. ANDERSON. Pluma Barbara Moreno of Pluma Barbara Moreno Apoyo Mutuo de Centro Peasant (Lares Lares Jíbaro Mutual Aid Center) and Movimiento Indígena (Indigenous Peasant Jíbaro Movement) leads a group in a Protesta y Propuesta | in PuertoRicoinclude: Some oftherecent examplesofhowthiscontinuesto playout by neocolonialisminotherpartsoftheGlobalSouth. this capitalistmodelmirrors thoseofmanycountriesimpacted climate disastersandbytheeconomicconditionscreated by agenda inPuertoRico.Theexperienceofthosehardest hitby experiment. Thisrelationship hasimposedaviolent neoliberal the contextofdemocracy, wheninreality itremains acolonial by theU.S.asanislandexperiencingeconomicprogress within crises inthearchipelago. PuertoRicohasbeenfalsely presented people—is attheroot oftheeconomic,political,and ecological ofPuertoRican of Borikén—andthelackself-determination Western Hemisphere. Thishistoricalandon-goingcolonization remains sotoday, makingitoneoftheoldestcoloniesin Puerto RicobecameacolonyoftheUnitedStatesin1898,and 9,000 peopleinPuertoRicoidentifiedas“Taíno.” Taíno populationwere killed.However, inthe2010census,over the first30yearsofSpanishcolonizationalone,80-90% lacked immunity;anddeathinbattlewiththeSpaniards, during prey tosmallpox,measles,andotherdiseasesforwhichthey mines andcolonialplantations.Betweenenslavement;falling enslaved West AfricanpeopletoPuertoRicoworkthegold enslaved theTaíno peopleofPuertoRicoandalsobrought archipelago wascolonizedbySpainin1493.TheSpanish Christopher ColumbusinvadedBorikénin1492andthe f f f f f f courses. lands inorder tobuildluxuryhotels,apartments,andgolf against hurricanesandthedisplacementofpeople from their polluted bothpeopleandplanet,leavingatoxiclegacy. practice, includinglivebombsthathaveterrorized and the destructionofcoastalecosystemsthatpr large agribusinesscorporationssuchasBayer-Monsanto. of small-scalefar the takeoverofpublicfertilelandthatshouldbe inthehands the useofPuertoRico’ mers andusingitinsteadforexperimentsby s landandterritoryformilitary otect theislands 9 | Protesta y Propuesta ough the imposition of the Jones imposition of the ough the es all goods ferried between U.S. ports to be carried on ) without the consent of the Puerto Rican la junta) without the consent . 3 the imposition of the Financial Oversight and Management the Financial Oversight and Management the imposition of ( Board and privatization in austerity measures people, implementing the illegitimate debt. to repay order the denial of autonomy to trade with Puerto Rico’s sister Rico’s to trade with Puerto of autonomy the denial thr the Caribbean islands in Act The Jones Act 1920 requir expensive far more ships built, owned, and operated by Americans. Those ships are result, it makes most things flags. As a to buy and operate than ships flying foreign expensive. in Puerto Rico more f f

For decades, Puerto Rican advocacy groups and international Rican advocacy groups For decades, Puerto occupation the United States’ colonial allies have denounced General the 2018 United Nations of Puerto Rico. During on Decolonization, more Assembly of the Special Committee situation as one of genocide than 40 petitioners described the as They described the reality and “economic terrorism.” by the characterized by multinational corporations—facilitated even as the resources, Rico’s United States—exploiting Puerto and la junta) implemented austerity measures U.S. (through to close and pensions to go unpaid. schools forced article, “Hurricane Maria’s Caban’s to Pedro According Colonial Status,” the Aftermath: Redefining Puerto Rico’s been deepening since 2004 economic crisis in Puerto Rico has and the governmentwhen the economy started to contract sector employees. In began dismissing thousands of public cuts $72 billion in debt and all the addition to Puerto Rico’s is struggling with a 45% poverty under la junta, the archipelago to the 2014 12% unemployment. According than rate and more live below the federal children U.S. census, 58% of Puerto Rico’s poverty level. a massive These economic and social conditions provoked to the Pew migration that started in 2005. According 446,000 Foundation, between 2005 and 2015, approximately Puerto Ricans migrated to the U.S. An additional estimated 130,000 people migrated between July 2017- July 2018, most f f 3

Protesta y Propuesta | 10 colonialism asaculpritinthishuman-madedisaster. result, thousandsofpeopledied,exposingthecrimeU.S. grossly inadequateresponsefromtheU.S.government.Asa caused bythestormitself,therewasdevastationof relationship wasfurtherrevealed. Ontopofthedevastation After HurricaneMaría,thecrueltyofU.S.-P.R. colonial the future ofPuertoRico’s economyandrecovery. of themafterHurricaneMaría.Thiswillhaveseriousimpactson PROMESA, austeritymeasures andtheprivatizationofpublic More recently, theyhavebeenorganizing againstlajuntaand (GMOs), othercorporate agribusinessinterests, andfossil fuels. militarization, theimpositionofgeneticallymodified organisms ecosystems andthecommons,organizing againstmining, demanding freedom forpoliticalprisoners,defendingimportant against thecolonialsystemandcorruptgovernment, the economicandpoliticalconditions.Theyhave beenfighting making thecommitmenttoremain inPuertoRicoregardless of have beenresisting theextractiveandoppressive system, and colonization. Frontline communitiesandsocialmovements Resistance hasbeenpresent inPuertoRicosinceSpain’s humanitarian crisisafterHurricaneMaría. pension, healthcare, andeducation—asprioritiesdespite the public services,andausteritymeasures suchasdeepcutsin such asdrasticdownsizing,deregulation, privatizationof repayments, andisapproving majoreconomicdecisions— the liquidationofPuertoRico’s assetstomaximizedebt and EconomicStability(PROMESA)Act.Lajuntaisoverseeing passage oftheso-calledPuertoRicoOversight,Management, junta’s control overPuertoRico’s publicfinancesthrough 2016 Another “hurricane”wastheU.S.Congress’ impositionofla context oftheeconomiccrisis. been usedasastrategytopushmore neoliberalpoliciesinthe were illegalunderPuerto Rico’s constitution.Thisdebthas borrowed moneyunderconditions thatmanyexpertsargue instruments, through whichthePuertoRicangovernment faces. Thisdebtcameaboutasaresult ofpredatory financial “hurricanes” before, suchasthemassivedebtthatPuertoRico Hurricane María,butthere were otherhuman-made The worldpaidattentiontoPuertoRico’s situationafter 11 | Protesta y Propuesta In this particular political, In this particular economic, and ecological these moment and with multiple crises, the and groups grassroots social movements that are most impacted have had to take on the difficult task of being the first responders, especially the first take on the difficult task of being the local and U.S. from given the lack of adequate response courage, taking this crisis with great government. They organize minds, territories, and bodies as an opportunity to decolonize Community-based groups popular power. and to gain more and just and working for a just recovery proposing the ones are the the old that replicates transformation, not just rebuilding that put people in such a vulnerable position in the oppression first place. in the genocide of in Puerto Rico is anchored Ecological erosion Africans. The of West Indigenous Peoples and the enslavement is the concentration of ecological erosion key enabling resource Social inequity is a form of ecological of labor. and control Said imbalance and inevitably leads to ecological erosion. what you do to the people, you do to the land another way, and what you do to the land you do to the people. Social and inextricably linked. ecological well-being are services. They are building and strengthening resistance, resistance, and strengthening building They are services. systems regenerative to create working hard while also are movements There collective self-management. based on working toward multiple and grassroots organizations alternative systems, such as food sovereignties and independence, territorial sovereignty, sovereignty, energy and grassroots feminisms. solidarity economies, ECOLOGICAL WELL-BEING ARE INEXTRICABLY LINKED. ECOLOGICAL WELL-BEING ARE INEXTRICABLY YOU DO TO THE LAND YOU DO TO THE PEOPLE. SOCIAL AND THE PEOPLE. SOCIAL AND YOU DO TO THE LAND YOU DO TO WHAT YOU DO TO THE PEOPLE, YOU DO TO THE LAND AND WHAT LAND AND WHAT THE THE PEOPLE, YOU DO TO DO TO YOU WHAT

Protesta y Propuesta | 12 (Indigenous PeasantMovement), “There hasneverbeen a Peasant MutualAidCenter) andMovimientoIndígenaJíbaro Moreno oftheCentro deApoyoMutuoJíbaro Lares (Lares resistance andresilience continue. According toPlumaBarbara Despite thesedeephistoriesofcolonizationand genocide, of home. all havethecapacitytorelearn home,andrightmanagement us from theTEKittakestobeinrightrelationship toplace. We It istheviolationofindigenoussovereignty thathasdistanced (TEK). WE’RELOSTFROM IT. ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE NOT LOSINGTRADITIONAL TEKnow VS.TECHNO:WE’RE Knowledge that helpsusrepairKnowledge that and tend the strands of the strandsofthe and tendthe it isTraditional Ecological hacked at the web of life, weboflife, hacked atthe Bosque Escuela Olimpia, Bosque EscuelaOlimpia, A spiderspinsitswebin extractive economyhas extractive Puerto Rico.Where the PHOTO BYBROOKEANDERSON. Web ofLife. 13 | Protesta y Propuesta (path/direction). The (path/direction). violence against greatest today people in the world is against indigenous their people defending territories.” If colonization has us from distanced forcibly knowing how to live in to place, right relationship that traditional recovering ecological knowledge is at the heart of ecological

(PATH/ STILL CAMINO restoration. In other words, the future is indigenous. We have We is indigenous. the future In other words, restoration. This is especially true for those our way forward. to remember ways, and lands of raised in the cultures, not of us who were own the knowledge of our can both recover our ancestors. We wisdom and and center the ancestors and listen to, learn from, on whose land we find struggles of the indigenous peoples ourselves. conquest of indigenous people, ever in the world. There never the world. There people, ever in of indigenous conquest defending still are We the invasion. resisting still are will be. We traditions, our our wisdom, our the territory—recovering is because our traditions crisis medicine. The environmental to keep working this camino have We have not been followed. RESISTING THE INVASION. WE ARE INVASION. RESISTING THE STILL WE ARE PEOPLE, EVER IN THE WORLD. THERE NEVER WILL BE. THERE NEVER WILL THE WORLD. PEOPLE, EVER IN THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A CONQUEST OF INDIGENOUS BEEN A CONQUEST OF INDIGENOUS THERE HAS NEVER PLUMA BARBARA MORENO DIRECTION). PLUMA BARBARA FOLLOWED. WE HAVE TO KEEP WORKING THIS WORKING KEEP TO WE HAVE FOLLOWED. CRISIS IS BECAUSE OUR TRADITIONS HAVE NOT BEEN NOT HAVE CRISIS IS BECAUSE OUR TRADITIONS OUR TRADITIONS, OUR MEDICINE. THE ENVIRONMENTAL THE ENVIRONMENTAL OUR TRADITIONS, OUR MEDICINE. DEFENDING THE TERRITORY—RECOVERING OUR WISDOM, TERRITORY—RECOVERING DEFENDING THE

Protesta y Propuesta | 14 4 and systemicchangesweneedtosuccessfully implement or increase inmass incarceration). Shiftsare thecultural ofsocialorecologicalerosionforms (think:sealevelrise mass shootings).Slidesare slower, butequallydevastating Shocks are momentsofacutecrisis(think:hurricaneor slides toward theshiftstheyneed. Puerto Ricansocialmovementsare directing theshocksand SHIFTS SHOCKS, SLIDES,AND

Act. “Promesa” means“pr PROMESA standsforPuertoRico Oversight,Management,andEconomicStability omise” inSpanish. La JornadaseAcabaron las Scott BarbésCamineroScott of PROMESA are aboutthe over”)talks Puerto Rico in the faceof Puerto Ricointhe Promesas promises (“the fight forsovereignty in PHOTO BYBROOKEANDERSON. 4 andLaJunta. 15 | Protesta y Propuesta fit from the shocks fit from nor of Puerto Rico, Ricardo Rosselló, nor of Puerto Rico, Ricardo ound for the unrestricted power of the financial and power of the financial ound for the unrestricted In February, then Gover In February, The island is becoming a testing ground for privatization and The island is becoming a testing ground a playgr tech industries. announced a major privatization of K-12 education with student vouchers for charter schools. The a move toward Betsy DeVos, Education Secretary move, aided by Trump was just one step among many under what Rosselló called the “right-sizing” of government, including plans for the the university system, and privatization of healthcare, municipal governance. f f f f In the wake of the hurricane, in a process dubbed “disaster In the wake of the hurricane, in a others, capitalists (developers, capitalism” by Naomi Klein and politicians, and other bankers, corporate CEOs, corrupt of the extractive economy) have used the shock of architects agenda. That agenda is the hurricane to push their neoliberal are of capital and corporations which on the interests centered of climate change and polluting and intensifying the impacts pro even as they seek to social inequality, attempting to shutter these injustices. They are from that result privatize all that remains public schools, displace communities, laws to allow a massive in the public domain, and change commons to wealthy foreign transfer of agricultural land and Specifically: interests. When Hurricane María hit Puerto Rico in September of 2017, María hit Puerto Rico in September When Hurricane a study by the to According the impact was devastating. School of Public Health published in the New York Harvard the hurricane killed during were Times, over 4,000 people left were million people and in its immediate aftermath. Three of the nation’s many for months. Over 80% without power, was lost. agriculture a just transformation. do we harness question is: how The we the shifts toward the slides and direct the shocks us powerful social movements provide need? Puerto Rican what to use shocks not to reconstruct examples of how real governance toward remake was but to radically resilience.

Protesta y Propuesta | 16 f f f of PuertoRico’s economy This unelectedfiscalcontrol oversightboard hastotalcontrol butpaidforwithfundsofthePuertoRicanpeople. government the creation ofaFiscalControl Board, imposedbytheU.S. Rico. PROMESAisaU.S.lawinwhichCongress authorized in 2016whenthePROMESALawwaspassedPuerto Control Board (FCB),orlajunta.Themovementemerged resistance andstruggleagainst PROMESAandtheFiscal hasbeenafocalpointof and decolonization.LaJornada Promesas isamovementworkingforPuertoRicanliberation and emancipationofthepeople.LaJornadaSeAcabaron las Recovery—rebuilding PuertoRicocenteringthewellbeing powerful forces ofdisastercapitalism,andfightingfor aJust On theotherhand,frontline communitiesare confronting the f Jornada SeAcabaronJornada lasPromesas, explains:“Theimposition As JocelynVelázquez Rodríguez,general coordinator ofLa center andadvancesovereignty. movements are movingforward hundreds oflocalprojects that more thananyonespecificdemand,PuertoRicansocial of theapproximately $74billionofillegitimatedebt.However, for anendtoPROMESA;lajunta;and acancellation Specifically, socialmovementsinPuertoRicohavebeencalling of self-determination. came togethertodesignastrategyagainstthe FCB andinfavor which hadbeenfightingfordecolonizationmanydecadesall the FCBwassetup,varioussectorsofPuertoRicancivilsociety f f f f perspective infavorofcapital. power, current Wanda Governor Vázquez maintainsthis Nevertheless, despitethefactthatRosellóisnolongerin tocometheislandhelpdriveits firms reconstruction. Rosselló wasattemptingtoattractWall Str Vultur and whichar Hedge fundsthatare speculatingonthePuertoRicandebt, A recent laborlawr higher profits for Wall Street stockholders. austerity measures, furthercutstoessentialservices,and went onbondbuyingsprees inthewakeofHurricaneMaría. e fundmanagersare pushingforanaccelerationof e partiestoPuertoRico’s bankruptcydispute, eform cutswages,benefits,andjobs. eform . WhenPROMESAwaspassedand eet andtech 17 | Protesta y Propuesta From that place, Puerto Ricans are moving forward with mutual with moving forward place, Puerto Ricans are that From aid and self-governance at the heart of their political projects— forests solar grids to people’s community-governed micro from social kitchens to occupying abandoned schools. And and from both just recovery to the hurricane, it’s not just in response it’s and the long term work of just transformation. told us, in Puerto Rico repeatedly on the ground Organizers is the system. is not the hurricane. The problem “The problem is colonialism, then is colonialism.” If the problem The problem be a decolonial project. must inherently just recovery If sovereignty is the ability of a people to self-govern, Puerto If sovereignty is the ability of a people multiple sovereignties— Ricans are asserting their right to sovereignty, economic i.e. land/territorial sovereignty, food and energy sovereignty through solidarity economy you have to not independence. And to claim sovereignty, but actually be prepared to just critique current governance, govern. of PROMESA has visibilized the crime of colonialism on the colonialism on the crime of has visibilized of PROMESA of our work. But has been part that reality island. Exposing been that. We’ve been limited to has not our contribution it is that for Puerto Rico to be prosperous, consistent in naming capitalism, and machismo, with neoliberalism, essential to break that serves We’re committed to an economy among other evils. That’s why we people, not those of big capital. the needs of the and community self-governed supported agro-ecological education the closure of schools, held political projects, fought construction of the land, and collaborated in the days in defense efforts to Centers, as well as in other of the Mutual Support ahead, we understand that in order to get help our people need to end the U.S. colonial regime.”

Protesta y Propuesta | 18 watershed thatprovides watertoSanJuan andmuchof Bosque delPueblo(thePeople’s Forest)—included a cuerdas (34,964acres). Thearea threatened bymining— caused asocialandecologicalcatastrophe for36,000 the heartofPuertoRicanmountainsthat wouldhave open pitminingforsilver, gold,andcopperin17areas in attemptedtostart when thePuertoRicangovernment center inAdjuntas,PuertoRico.Itwasfounded in1980 Casa Puebloisanindependentcommunityandcultural how tobebothvisionaryandoppositional Puerto Ricoshowsushowtofightthebadandbuildnew; BUILD THENEW FROM FIGHTTHEBAD TO del Pueblo(“ThePeople’s Forest”). talks about the history of fighting a historyoffighting aboutthe talks proposal toopen-pitmineBosque Melvin Torres from CasaPueblo PHOTO BYBROOKEANDERSON. 19 | Protesta y Propuesta

As Tinti Deyá Díaz, founder of Casa Pueblo, explains, “We Deyá Díaz, founder of Casa Pueblo, explains, “We As Tinti broke up with fear. With parents and children, we were able to create an army of conscience and defend our most precious resources: our people and our nature. All over the island, community movements are developing with such a committed The forest is now called Bosque del Pueblo. Casa Pueblo was The forest in Puerto Rico to manage a the first community organization Massol Deyá of Casa several. As Arturo are now there but forest, in the history of colonization Pueblo said, “This is the first time part of actually controlling of Puerto Rico that the people are their territory.” This is an example of deep democracy and ecological land and reclaim connected to place. When you stewardship an amazing opening for return it to the commons, it creates and right governance to right relationship folks to return which is what Casa Pueblo has moved into. structure, It took 15 years, but Casa Pueblo not only stopped the mega It took 15 years, but Casa Pueblo (and won!) in 1995, but in 1996 they proposed mining project not unit to be managed by the people—i.e. a new forest (e.g. mining) nor the state, controlled by either corporations but governed by the people themselves. The fight that Casa Pueblo waged against the mines wasn’t mines wasn’t Pueblo waged against the The fight that Casa the but about protecting “their” land, just about protecting thinking were The organizers country. entire watersheds for an and means for watershed protection in landscape strategies economy While the dominant for sustainable development. water island’s would have put the entire pursued mines that was of home), Casa Pueblo supply at risk (mismanagement engaging in bioregional thinking in an ecosystem way and but or the forest, just about the water governance. It wasn’t to watersheds and to each about how human settlements relate to meet and how to govern watersheds, in order other across to the watershed and to each other for their responsibilities This is what it looks like to seven generations into the future. well. to manage home put living systems at the center, the rest of the island. As leaders at Casa Pueblo explain, at Casa Pueblo As leaders of the island. the rest in over for water it would be game went in, “If the mines Puerto Rico.”

Protesta y Propuesta | 20 Hongos y more than1millioninhabitants.TheyhaveanEscuelade river RioGrandedeArecibo thatsuppliesdrinkingwaterto to establishtheschool.Theforest isthebirthplaceof School). In2003,CasaPuebloacquired 150cuerdas ofland a program calledBosqueEscuelalaOlimpia (theForest In additiontoBosquedelPueblo,CasaPueblonowruns will emerge from thosecommunities.AndIhopetoseeit.” [political] partieswilldisappearandtheleadersofthiscountry people leadingthemthatIthinkthetimewillcomewhen to enrichthegeneticdiversity ofthespecies. also takingthebirds outofAdjuntas tootherpartsoftheisland tracking devices,andrelease thembackintothewild.Theyare resources toresearchers torehabilitate thefalcons,fitthemwith María plummetedtoamere 19birds. CasaPuebloisproviding populations endemictoPuertoRico,whichafter Hurricane helping torestore Guaraguao deBosqueandFalcónSierra Líquenes (School ofFungiandLichens).Theyare also Casa Pueblo,speaksat Pueblo about the fight they fight Pueblo aboutthe Tinti DeyáDíaz,founder of Tinti lead againstmining. PHOTO BYBROOKEANDERSON. 21 | Protesta y Propuesta , a 5 s (the peasants of Puerto Rico)—a of jíbaros and jíbara “The Food Supply of Puerto Rico.” Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin 55, August 1940, Río Piedras.

In the late 1930’s, Puerto Rico produced 65% of its own food 65% of its own Puerto Rico produced In the late 1930’s, 5 WHAT WE FEED GROWS WHAT putting their labor toward are Puerto Rican social movements the solutions they need. One of the places this is most creating land and food sovereignty. toward evident is in efforts Boricuá Organización trend that continued on until the 1950s when industrialization of that continued on until the 1950s when trend expansion in food about an unprecedented the island brought consumption and imports. Borikén had long been a land of farmers)— PHOTO BY BROOKE ANDERSON. Jesús Vázquez of Organización of Organización Jesús Vázquez Boricuá (left) talks about organizing through for food sovereignty alongside mutual support efforts Soto of Grassroots Jovanna García International (right).

Protesta y Propuesta | 22 Boricuá does. that directly challengescolonization iswhatOrganización practicing sovereignty. Building upthistypeoffoodsovereignty wouldn’t beanyfood.Inthiscontext,growing of foodisaform that ifthearchipelago’s colonystatuswere togoaway, there has usedPuertoRico’s fooddependencetoinstillfearinpeople productive, andecologically-sustainablelivelihood.TheU.S. to theresources yourlaborintoadignified, necessaryto turn However, ifyouwantfreedom, you needland.You needaccess within theirownecosystems). foodsheds (meaningthattheywere sourcing theirfoodfrom small citiesthen,andtheywere eatingmostlyoutoftheirown current population)andParis untilthe1970s.Thesewere not had apopulationof7.4millionpeople,larger thanPuertoRico’s again. ThiswasalsotrueofNewYork Cityuntilthe1940s(which Spain andsugarcane fortheU.S.),itcangrow itsownfood addition tothefooditgrew tosatiateitscolonizers,coffee for have noted,ifPuertoRicooncegrew mostofitsownfood(in inoperable. Asmanyfoodsovereignty activistsinPuertoRico disasters suchasHurricaneMaríawhenportsandroads become fossil fuelintensive,and(c)vulnerabletofoodshortagesduring central portinthecapital.Theseimportsare (a)expensive,(b) mostly inU.S.vesselsundertheJonesActthrough justone Today, PuertoRicoimportsapproximately 85%ofitsfood, corporate parks. forced tomakewayfortourismand displacementoffarmers Hurricane María,PuertoRicohasseenincreased landgrabsand testing grounds Post- (forexample,thebombingofVieques). (GMO’s) through theBiotechindustry, andpromotes military pesticides, experimentswithGeneticallyModifiedOrganisms agribusiness modelthatpromotes theuseofagrotoxics suchas development onfertileland,enforces aconventional thatgreenlightsfederal andnationalgovernment excessive The landhasbeenfurtherdegradedandcontaminatedbya away from them. dignity andself-sufficiencyofworkingwiththelandwastaken this push,the communities andmovedintothecities.With Rico, peoplewere purposefullydisplacedfrom ruralandcoastal acceleration oftheneoliberaldevelopmentmodelinPuerto people connectedtotheirterritory. colonizationandthe With 23 | Protesta y Propuesta n all of the regions and islands of the n all of the regions and islands of o e fighting to have enough land to produce the food we e fighting to have enough land to produce is a national platform is a national composed 30 years of history with “We’r need, and to have enough water in the cuencas [basins, or Boricuá. of Organización watersheds],” said Jesús Vázquez country and is part of the international movement of the La Vía of Peasant Organizations, Latinamerican Coordinator Alliance, and the People’s Campesina, the Climate Justice Process. Agroecology explains: Boricuá of Organización Vázquez As Katia Avilés Now with our food, our seeds. “They came after our culture, our coming after what keeps us here: PROMESA, they are Roselló’s ex-governor Ricardo forcing lands. While people were the Puerto Rican government tried to pass under resignation, land use practices that would the radar a complete overhaul of facilitate the sale and development of land, all in the middle of being pushed out Puerto Ricans are an economic crisis where of their homes and lands and the lots sold at pescao abombao (attractive prices) to rich investors or U.S. upper class. access to to secure Boricuá is working with allies Organización farmland, rural, as well as forests, biodiversity, land to protect coastal and urban residents.” Rico farm (peasants), of farmers, and food workers, jíbaros urban communities. rural, coastal, and activists from sovereignty organization is a decentralized base group Organización Boricuá membership and intergenerational diverse with a multiregional farms, working groups, of agroecological that holds a network islands of Borikén, Puerto Rico. in the projects and educational a just, of transformation is a vehicle towards The organization and happy healthy, democratic, sovereign, sustainable, free, and practices promotes Boricuá Puerto Rico. Organización and to achieve food sovereignty as a vehicle agroecology and climate justice. The collective actively social, environmental, commons, and the natural defends the national patrimony, work with the land building the families and communities that and living collectively from each other, supporting sovereignty, archipelago. Organización their respective territories in the Boricuá has a presence Organización Boricuá de Agricultura Boricuá de Puerto Ecológica Organización

Protesta y Propuesta | 24 their livelihood.They’re developing alocalorganic certification Rico, especiallyfrom families thatare dependentonthelandfor chains forpeopletosource foodfrom inPuerto smallfarmers Organización Boricuáisworkingtocreate marketsandsupply drought, ahurricane.” something,somethinghappens—a startearning farmers said, “Climatechangemakesithard topredict. Justwhen from theU.S.toparticipateinthesebrigades.AsJesúsVázquez sent delegations(inwhichGrassroots participated) International Immediately afterthehurricane,ClimateJustice Alliance bycollectivelyspreadingchaos onsmallfarmers therisk. the organization butalso help tomitigatetheimpactsofclimate These brigadesnotonlybuildcommunityandmembershipin ecologically appropriate seeds,andenjoyingameal together. and animalhusbandry),buildingtools,sharingculturally workshop (teachingforest regeneration, sustainableagriculture, each exchangeincludespoliticaleducation,aneducational farmer’s It’s farm. notjustworkingoneachother’s land,but worktogethertorebuildwhich allthesmallfarmers another organizing ofmutualaid)in solidaritybrigades (aform Since HurricaneMaría,Organización Boricuáhasbeen Norysell MassanetofOrganizaciónNorysell separate seedlings that are that separate seedlings ready Grassroots howto International Boricuá showsYulissa Arce of PHOTO BYBROOKEANDERSON. for replanting. 25 | Protesta y Propuesta committee. Whereas USDA standards are constantly under constantly are standards USDA Whereas committee. chemical-dependent the giants of industrial, attack from of the example a great are local standards agriculture, what you’re down to the scale of devolution of accountability trying to govern. the bad. they continue to fight the new, While they build against Monsanto, been organizing Boricuá has Organización (for testing of pesticides and takeover Dupont, and Bayer’s parts of of the fertile land, public land, and GMOs) of much to water in Puerto Rico. Organización the island with access limit genetic work with their members to Boricuá is also doing and GMOs. “They experiment here contamination from just hurt us, but use us to They don’t implement elsewhere. reflected how colonization works,” hurt everyone else. That’s International. Soto of Grassroots Jovanna García “sustainable,” “agroecology” In an era in which concepts like so easily co-opted, Organización are and “permaculture” not working say: “If you’re Boricuá makes it clear when they not doing agroecology.” you’re with the community, farmers Puerto Rico in the southwest coast of Women with Tierra) affiliated de la (for instance, at finca La Botica food, raise animals, and share Boricuá grow Organización agriculture. workshops on regenerative knowledge through Boricuá explains: “The Norysell Massanet of Organización of Puerto Rico in different hurricane impacted the population status. The lower your ways. It depended on your social We to disaster. vulnerable you were economic status, the more a disaster like depend on the land. For the farming community, wake up and Hurricane María was emotionally draining. You Even if you know it looked like a bomb exploded in the area. the will return… back, birds grow leaves will will recover, trees for the whole silence after the hurricane was so distressing piece of information that we It was a concrete community. know what climate change means. At one point right after do trying to you’re the hurricane I thought to myself, ‘Wow, in a climate change food and manage resources, this, grow I lost my house. I was scared. really scenario?’ I was scared, living in a tent. Every morning I would ask myself, ‘When do I just started unanswered. you stop?’ That question remained

Protesta y Propuesta | 26 6 insecure Even before HurricaneMaría,35%oftheislandwasfood address foodinsecurityfrom theconsumersideofthings. from theproducer sideofthings, sotooisthere amovementto Just asOrganización Boricuáisaddressing foodsovereignty Rebelde Comedores SocialesdePuertoRicoandCocina trust modelstothenhelpholdthatland. Urbano CallejonTrujillo inPonce—andusingcommunityland “land rescue”)—such asthe successfuloccupationofHuerto possibility ofdoinglandoccupations(rescate detierra —literally, and food,increasingly communitiesare lookingtothe As movementsinPuertoRicouplifttherighttoland,housing, also paramount,forittodothiskindofwork.” was beautiful.Grassroots International’s supportforBoricuáwas dearly knowseachother. JusthavingBoricuálookingoverus thatBoricuá holds paramount forpeoplelikeme.Everyfarmer again. Ijustkeptgoing.What[Organización] Boricuádidwas

lanecesidadenpuertorico-1346034. ht Puerto RicoFoodSecuritySurvey released bythePuertoRico InstituteofStatistics, tps://www.primerahora.com/noticias/puerto-rico/nota/radiografiaalhambrey- 6 . However, similartoenergy outages, thecombination behind himserveamealatCocina slogan is“Yo nocomoausteridad, yo cocino dignidad” (“Idon’tyo cocinodignidad” eat Giovanni RobertoofComedores Rebelde. ComedoresSociales' Sociales speaksasvolunteers austerity, Icookdignity”). PHOTO BYBROOKEANDERSON. 27 | Protesta y Propuesta s a way of social organization. It’s a way It’s s a way of social organization. ease the flavor and the rebellion/rebelliousness. It’s not an It’s rebellion/rebelliousness. ease the flavor and the end in and of itself. It’ Cocina Rebelde (Rebel Kitchen) is part of that comedores with Cocina sociales movement. Giovanni Roberto, an organizer Sociales de Puerto Rico, elaborates, Rebelde and Comedores “We work with the people, for the people, in order to organize the people. We ask ourselves: 'What could we do to fortify social change projects? How do we do it in a way that does not depend on anyone else: not on the state, not on the Federales [U.S. government], not on the foundations? How do we build our independence?' Our response has been to incr to train young people. Asking people to do something makes of a food crisis and total lack of governmentof a food crisis and total lack of aid in the aftermath the conditions for people to of the storm created aid, solutions—like develop people-to-people, or mutual or community kitchens. The comedores sociales,” “comedores People can choose to either work or not free. sociales are of a reclaiming it’s that way, donate in exchange for food. In for ourselves. It is muscle of providing the reclaiming labor, self-governance of food. the Cocina Rebelde cooks. Virgen “Socky” Vázquez , leader of “Socky” Vázquez Virgen the Mutual Aid/Support Center and one of PHOTO BY BROOKE ANDERSON.

Protesta y Propuesta | 28 their foodfromagroecologicalfarmers. Resistencia. Inthefuture,theyarehopingtosourcemoreof also shares itskitchenwithotherprojects, suchasAguasFrescas produces toHuertoSemillas tomakecompost.CocinaRebelde increasing flavorand rebellion, isCocinaRebelde. solutions. Oneofthosesolutions,underthepremise of of Comedores Socialesistocombathungerbycollectivizing and foodhasbeenaninstrumentofdomination.Thepurpose the capitalistandcolonialsysteminwhichcontrol ofland For Comedores Sociales,hungerandpovertyare theresult of Rebelde. day. NowsheisoneofthemostconsistentvolunteersatCocina came. Eventually, sheandotherswere feeding500peopleper a gasstove.Peopleallaround herhomesmelledcoffee and “Socky” Vázquez wastheonlypersoninherneighborhoodwith ofHurricaneMaría,Virgen For instance,intheaftermath people’s needs,notjustanideology.” their participationpossible.Organization hastobebasedon the collectivedemands. other ways,suchasinthe popularassembliesthatdetermined participate, whichmadethemmore comfortableparticipatingin protagonists inthemovement.Itgavepeopleawayto of thecapital.Indoingso,theygavepeopleways ofbeing protests. Comedores sociales alsoorganized aprotest outside during themomentousandsuccessful#RickyRenuncia (the governor’s mansion)andmanyofthemassmobilizations provided foodforthewomen’s sit-inoutside ofLaFortaleza in supportingmovementsontheground. Forinstance,they The comedores socialeshavealsoplayedimportant roles Rico. Forexample,CocinaRebeldesendstheor to strengtheninganddevelopingasolidarityeconomyinPuerto economic project,allianceswithotherprojectshavebeenkey as welltoprovidesalaries.Inthedevelopmentofthis Rebelde helptosustaintheComedoresSocialespermanently, Theresourcesand beabletogovern. obtainedthrough Cocina we buildourindependence?”Theideaistobreak dependency inresponseperspective. Itwasborn tothequestion:“Howdo Cocina Rebeldeisasolidarityeconomyproject withafeminist ganic materialit 29 | Protesta y Propuesta Puerto Rico imports most of its energy—which, similar to Puerto Rico imports most of its energy—which, expensive it is more both means that food sovereignty, and fossil fuel intensive, but also leaves the island shortages and outages in times of vulnerable to energy In this context, Casa Pueblo stepped into the disaster. IF WE’RE NOT PREPARED PREPARED IF WE’RE NOT WE’RE NOT GOVERN, TO WIN TO PREPARED but rather must not just govern under existing structures, We democratic of governance to be more the structure remake in the daily must engage We and ecologically responsive. practice of self-governance. PHOTO BY BROOKE ANDERSON. Arturo Massol Deyá of Casa Pueblo Arturo talks about their work to build an in Puerto Rico. insurrection” “energy

Protesta y Propuesta | 30 lightning bugs)withsolarenergy,89full-sizerefrigerators in 7 (nicknamed oasis” butratherhasoutfittedanadditional55 homes community-controlled microgrid. Itisnolongeran“energy Post hurricane,CasaPueblohasbuiltouttheisland’s first solar-powered radiostation. messages fr use tocontacttheirfamilies.Theyalsorecorded1minute up apublicsatellitephone,whichpeoplecameinlonglinesto clinics andculturalactivists.W distributed waterfilters,food,medicine,andsetuphealth antibiotics, coldwater),tomeetcriticalhealthneeds.They with extraener vulnerability ofelders.Theyequippedanadditional10homes reducingsolar lanterns, theriskoffire bycandlelightand the help. Duringthehurricane,CasaPueblodistributed14,000 until more repairs permanent canbemade)were oflittle that point,FEMA’s blue tarps(usedtotemporarilycoverhomes FEMA, whicharrivedafullmonthafterthehurricanehit.At Adjuntas wasoneofthelastspotsonislandreached by respiratory equipment,andcharge theircellphones. Adjuntas tostore refrigerated medicine,plugintheir became an“energy oasis.”Peoplecamefrom allover been somethingofananomalywithitssolarpanels music school,gallery, andgiftshop.Suddenlywhathad community radiostation,mariposario(butterflysanctuary), providing energy tothecommunitycenter—includinga María, CasaPueblohad45solarpanelsand12batteries mining inthe1980s(seeabove).AttimeofHurricane Pueblo wasfoundedoutofafighttostopopenpit fight forenergy independence

Pueblo doesbelow. independence” todescribetheir visionandprinciple,asArturo MassolDeyáofCasa workers andcommunities.InPuerto Rico,organizers are “energy using theterm with adecentralized,resilient, transparent modelthatisdrivenby andbenefits to shiftenergy from acommoditycontrolled bycorporationstoashared resource In theU.S.,manyorganizers usetheter om residents andplayedthemontheairoftheir Cucubanos, afterthePuertoRicanwordfor gy fordialysisandsmallrefrigerators (forinsulin, ith theirsolarpower, theyset m “energy democracy”todescribethefight 7 inPuertoRico.Casa 31 | Protesta y Propuesta > since during the hurricane, since during the get cash people couldn’t restaurant a out of ATMs), (“during the next be a hurricane, this will a pizzeria, social kitchen”), Bosque of and two rooms Escuela. Casa Pueblo the businesses charges . 8 e Arturo’s words when we visited Casa Pueblo in June 2019, and in fact when we visited Casa Pueblo in June 2019, and in words e Arturo’s These wer Puerto Rico, this is what when the next hurricane, Hurricane Dorian, threatened sent out: “Dear friends of Casa Pueblo: Arturo of the season, Dorian, in Adjuntas, Casa Pueblo is threat Facing the first tropical than in the past. Our Radio Casa Pueblo 1020 operates its studios better prepared total dependence of having broken and the transmission tower with solar energy, you can find the link to the radio and our weather in 2017. In casapueblo.org PREPA station. In addition, we have alternative Internet and satellite telephony systems incommunicate as remain and infrastructure so as not to depend on commercial happened after Hurricane Maria. Casa Pueblo system in the area, In the event of a collapse of the traditional energy people can where oasis for the community, will once again be the solar energy therapy machines. In addition, their equipment or operate respiratory recharge Saltillo, Guilarte and Abajo, La Olimpia, Vacas in Vegas stores several grocery equipped with photovoltaic systems to access food and serve as a are Tanamá peritoneal dialysis have in their home’s Families that require community refrigerator. Rivera security with photovoltaic installations. The Rest. Vista al Río of Tito energy In addition, 60 houses operate if necessary. social dining room would be the town’s installed; the 50 houses have solar refrigerators as Casa Pueblo with solar energy; unit, the elderly home, two small hardware Station, the medical emergency Fire And all by community initiative, with the support of all of you. Ah! and more. stores could open without the barber shop solar Pérez in need of a haircut, And if you’re

8 in order to offset the cost of installing solar for low-income the cost of installing solar for low-income to offset in order residents. on solar is about using energy Securing 89 full size refrigerators security and community health. independence to leverage food tripled post-hurricane because of lack Renal and kidney failure to healthy food. Some people of access not just to dialysis but food they had access to fresh ate junk food for months before Martinez will have dialysis,” again. “The next hurricane, Maria Massol Deyá says solar-powered homes in addition to a barber shop (as Arturo shop (as Arturo to a barber homes in addition solar-powered goes everyone who noted “now of Casa Pueblo Massol Deyá stores, hardware about solar!”), 2 shop talks to the barber station, 5 mini home, the fire an elder an agricultural center, have cash even if you don’t you can get food markets (where UNPLUG OURSELVES. MASSOL DEYÁ UNPLUG OURSELVES. GOING TO WAIT FOR THE GOVERNMENT. WE’RE GOING TO WE’RE GOING TO FOR THE GOVERNMENT. WAIT GOING TO WE’RE CALLING FOR AN ENERGY INSURRECTION. WE’RE NOT WE’RE NOT FOR AN ENERGY INSURRECTION. WE’RE CALLING NOW WE ARE ON THE OFFENSIVE. NOW WE ARE THE THREAT. WE ARE THE THREAT. NOW WE ARE ON THE OFFENSIVE. NOW IN 2010, WE WERE DEFENDING OURSELVES FROM A PIPELINE. DEFENDING OURSELVES IN 2010, WE WERE

Protesta y Propuesta | 32 for thewholeplanet.W on toexplain: fossil fuels.We’re doingaplanetfree from fossilfuels.”Hewent mountains, isbecomingareferencepointnotjustforFEMAbut Deyá stated“Adjuntas,atownofonly17,000peopleinthe attentiontotheirefforts.national andinternational Massol visibilize thefightforenergy independence.Themarch brought Casa Puebloorganized abigMarcha delSol inAdjuntasto year forfossilfuels. else. According toCasaPueblo,PuertoRicanspay$300Mper before—energy from fossilfuelsextractedfrom somewhere In thereconstruction, theyrewired PuertoRicothewayitwas companies, anddoesnotsupportthePuertoRicaneconomy. overhead. ThemoneygoestobuythingsfromU.S. restored. AsignificantproportionofFEMA’sbudgetgoesto Adjuntas wasinthelast30%ofPuertoRicotogetitsenergy used carbatteriestoAdjuntasserveassolarstorage. on solar. CasaPuebloisnowworkingtobring“secondlife” gone downfrom $85/monthonPREPA (fossilfuels)to$5/month energy source. Energy billsforsolarusersinAdjuntashave installed allowsuserstoflipatransferswitchchoosetheir energy utility, isthebackup.ThesolarthatCasaPueblohas alternative, orbackup,sourceofenergy.NowPREPA For thesehomesandbusinesses,solarusedtobethe 9

Puerto RicoPublicPrivatePartnership. nance ofthetransmissionanddistribution ofenergy toapublic-privatealliance,the privatize theutility. Thelawestablishesthetransfer oftheoperationandmainte- Rosellósignedanewlawto distribution, andpowertransmission. Then-Governor PREPA isthegover Board ofDirectors” Arturo Massol-Deyá #AutogestiónComunitaria #AdjuntasPuebloSolar your consistentsupport.Thisenergy andcommunityinsurrection isinprogress. Our solidarityiswitheveryoneontheIslandandCaribbean.Thank youallfor ourreality.ourselves andtransform There beginsthetrueprocess ofdecolonization. only in“resilience” butinmentality. We knowthat, as acommunity, wecanprotect Adjuntas isdifferent todayandcontinuesanextraordinary route ofchange.Not is stillonschedule. problems whilethefree moviefornextSaturday attheSolarCinemaofCasaPueblo nment-owned utilityresponsible forelectricity generation,power e’re notdoingabarbershop free of 9 , the 33 | Protesta y Propuesta even if FEMA had been the able to get there day after the hurricane, had have they wouldn’t trust, the relationships, or understanding of the community that Casa Pueblo does to decide are the threat. We’re calling for We’re the threat. are “Energy is the capacity to do work. We don’t enjoy the enjoy don’t We to do work. is the capacity “Energy Puerto way to decolonize our work. One from wealth made independence. energy practical terms:Rico is in create need don’t We not consumers. can be producers, We coal and gas. We have sun and wind. In 2010, we were on a pipeline. Now we are from defending ourselves Now we the offensive. an energy insurrection. We’re not going to wait for the not going to wait We’re insurrection. an energy ourselves.” going to unplug government. We’re But the point isn’t solar. It’s about who produces, distributes, distributes, about who produces, It’s solar. But the point isn’t The point is governance. As an example, energy. and controls they That restaurant who to prioritize for solar installation. was the one who cooked decided to help solarize? The owner during the hurricane. So they every day for the elderly for free he’ll do it again. They’re know that if they solarize his business, about It’s based on deep relationships. building resiliency govern. trying to governing Just at the scale of the thing you’re of about redistribution are transformation and just recovery to build a communities and power down to frontline resources visionary economy for life. FOR LIFE. FRONTLINE COMMUNITIES TO BUILD A VISIONARY ECONOMY A VISIONARY BUILD FRONTLINE COMMUNITIES TO REDISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES AND POWER DOWN TO TO DOWN AND POWER REDISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES JUST TRANSFORMATION AND JUST RECOVERY ARE ABOUT AND JUST RECOVERY JUST TRANSFORMATION

Protesta y Propuesta | 34 must organize tochangethestory. themselves initandupliftedbyit,won’t win;that we make therevolution irresistible; thatiffolks don’t see joy, play, andthewisdomofourancestors; thatwemust consumers, ofculture; thatwemustground ourworkin strategic”—that wemustbecomecreators, notjust Just Transition framework,“Ifit’s notsoulful,it’s not Puerto Ricanmovementsexemplifytheprinciple ofthe social movements. Art andculturalworkersare atthecenterofPuerto Rican NOT STRATEGIC IF IT’SNOT SOULFUL,IT’S bomba inBartolo,PuertoRico. Ausuba, anall-womenbomba group PHOTO BYBROOKEANDERSON. , givesaworkshopon 35

| Protesta y Propuesta is Afro-Puerto Rican music, characterized by a call-and- Bomba is Afro-Puerto dancer, between the singer, or interactive relationship response by enslaved Africans in and drummers. Bomba was developed of communication and as a the sugar plantations as a means It was at the bomba and resistance. spiritual strength of source dances that enslaved Africans celebrated births and unions, and also planned rebellions. Plena (which used to be called periodico cantado or “sung newspaper”) is another Puerto Rican musical tradition that came bars, out of Puerto Rican working and lower classes (brothels, etc.) as a form and parody. of social commentary , a form with of dancing or twerking associated Perreo in the 2019 uprising played an important role reggaeton, Ricky Reselló. A popular slogan of the against then Gov. no (“There’s No Hay Revolución was Sin Perreo rebellion Revolution Without en The Colectiva Feminista Perreo”). trans and non-binary Construcción—along with the queer, PHOTO BY BROOKE ANDERSON. Dey Hernández Vázquez of AgitArte Dey Hernández Vázquez leads a workshop using their 170- depicting the foot painted scroll of the and resilience resistance Puerto Rican people.

Protesta y Propuesta | 36 racism, homophobia,andmisogyny resisted statecensorshipandcriminalization,confronted an importantcollectiveactionthatarticulatedpoliticalcritique, political powerduringtheuprising.Theperreo combativowas youth—used perreo togeneratefreedom spacesandpeople’s 10 history ofPuertoRico,from Indigenous Peoplesthrough developed a170-footlongpaintedscroll thatdepictsthe As oneexampleofusingarttoenvisionanewsociety, AgitArte common senseofdominantideology.” new societybasedonfundamentalvalueswhich contradictthe for ustouseartandculturalworkconstruct envisiona shiftsinoursociety.transformational Soitonlymakessense explains, “Culture hasalwaysbeenthegrounding forany One ofthoseartists,SugeilyRodríguezLebron ofAgitArte mutual aidinPuertoRicothatstartedafterHurricaneMaría. social movement.AgitArteisanintegralpartofthenetwork ideology touseartbuild gender, sexuality, and intersection ofrace,class, working withartatthe musicians, andorganizers designers, puppeteers, comprised ofartists, our world.”Theyare in for transformations generate possibilities propose that alternatives solidarity withgrassroots strugglesagainstoppression, and cultural organizers whocreate projects andpracticesofcultural AgitArte is“anorganization ofworkingclassartistsand energy andwithoneanother, andcreate thecollectivespace. the ancestors,ground participantsinculture, connectwithheart organizers openthespacewitha“mística”aswaytocallin Místicas. AtmanyPuertoRicosocialmovementgatherings,

tests https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2019/08/07/dj-sessions-puerto-rico-pro- SENSE OFDOMINANTIDEOLOGY. SUGEILY RODRÍGUEZLEBRON FUNDAMENTAL VALUES WHICHCONTRADICT THECOMMON TO CONSTRUCTANDENVISIONANEWSOCIETYBASED ON MAKES SENSEFORUSTO USEART ANDCULTURAL WORK TRANSFORMATIONAL SHIFTSINOURSOCIETY. SOITONLY CULTURE HASALWAYS BEENTHEGROUNDINGFORANY 10 . 37 | Protesta y Propuesta endelaeducaciónpública (“defend public education)”, endelaeducaciónpública (“defend fi to highlight educators, parents, and students engaged in the and students engaged to highlight educators, parents, struggle to save public education.” Executive and Artistic Díaz Ortiz, AgitArte’s to Jorge According and art has always been at the “Cultural organizing Director, center of radical transformational change. The way we express and construct our paths to our struggles, envision the future tied to the practices and ideas of the new culture liberation are creating.” of solidarity we are Additionally, post-Hurricane María when the government post-Hurricane María when Additionally, to shut down public program was moving an aggressive AgitArte created schools and move in private charters, under the hashtag “a social media poster campaign, #de colonization, freedom struggles, Hurricane María and into a María and into Hurricane struggles, freedom colonization, and Puerto Rico all over toured which they’ve future, liberatory “struggle and tool to talk about as an educational the U.S. in Puerto Rico and its diaspora.” to U.S. colonialism resistance collective and supports a theatre AgitArte also houses Popular Education and the through called Papel Machete Papel Machete is “a workers’ (PEPP). Performance Project collective dedicated to puppetry, and community theater street masks, and performing agitational objects for educational and performances of the a means of supporting the struggles as of Puerto Rico.” communities marginalized working class and hosts Papel Machete exists a Inside the space that currently is run by the Casa Taller workshop space called Casa Taller. the collective group artist and member of permanent resident serving Aside from Lebron. Papel Machete, Sugeily Rodríguez development of our members, Casa as a space for creative and collective emancipation is also a space of resistance Taller space has strengthened popular education. Workshop through Puerto Rico ties with the community in Santurce, AgitArte’s that have allowed the development of new projects through contribute to Puerto Rico’s them to continue to collectively social liberation.

Protesta y Propuesta | 38 to concentratewealth andpowerinthehandsoffew livelihood. Itisaboutwhether PuertoRicowillcontinue collective resources to makeadignified,sustainable naturaleza)—or betweenprivatizationandaccess to (what PuertoRicansoftencallbienescomunes dela María The movementinPuertoRico,especiallypost-Hurricane turned itintocommunityhousing. Centros deApoyoMutuooccupiedanabandonedschooland TO DO IT DO, WEHAVE EVERY RIGHT IF IT’STHERIGHTTHINGTO , isabattlebetweenenclosureandthecommons Centro deApoyoMutuoJíbaro Caribeña medicinal gardenCaribeña medicinal at Mural of the Farmacopea Mural ofthe PHOTO BYBROOKEANDERSON. Bartolo inLares. 39 | Protesta y Propuesta One of the incredible things coming out of the hurricane One of the incredible had of the governmentwas the experience that people disappearing and communities instead learning to collectively meet their own needs. When communication and transportation some of people retained to the archipelago, restored were that sense of “we can do this ourselves,” or ability to practice self-governance in place. At the heart of building that radical self-governance in Puerto de Apoyo Mutuo (Centers of Mutual Aid). Rico is the Centros people-to-people, self- de Apoyo Mutuo represent The Centros opposition to governed solutions. As such, they exist in direct and la Junta in Puerto Rico. This strong the colonial relationship funders, not just the state, but also from independence from and often paid leadership. 501c3 non-profits, or return land, labor, and life into community control. and life into community control. labor, land, or return begin with and be in dynamic must Community control to indigenous sovereignty. relationship PHOTO BY BROOKE ANDERSON. Map of Mutual Aid groups Map of Mutual Aid groups within Puerto Rico and the by United States, created in July of PublicLab.org 2018.

Protesta y Propuesta | 40 housing, foodandhealth, of Centros deApoyoMutuo are: solarenergy, cleanwater, comedores socialesandmore. Someofthecomponents while othersare anagriculturalschools,healingcenters, centros (communityhubs)includeareas tostayduringdisasters meeting theneedsofpeopleinmanydifferent ways.Some The Centros deApotoMutuoare by buildingself-determination survive.” Hurricane María]wasn’t arally. Itwasadailystruggleto people, withthepeopleasprotagonists. It[theweeksfollowing established MutualAidCenterstoattendtheneedsof jumped inshowedwhatPuertoRicocouldbelike.We were allout.Thestatedisappeared. Themovementsthat experience whatindependencewaslike.Theradio,telephone Promesas explained:“WhenHurricaneMaríahit,wegotto As ScottBarbésCaminero from seAcabáron LaJornada las energy. and manyotherpartsof thecomplex,are powered bysolar courts, anartroom, andamuseum andgallery. Thehousing, scale commercial use,acomputerandmedialab,basketball cafe runentirely bytheyouth,acommunalkitchenforsmall- well asforpainmanagement.Alsoonthegrounds are atheatre plants thataidinrespiratory, skin, and digestiveailments,as sovereignty. Residentsare growing medicinalgardens fullof families. Theyare alsopracticingagroecology toachieve food The buildinghas14apartmentsandnowhouses some12 out thebuilding,andconverteditintocommunity housing. community cutthechainstoanabandonedschool,cleaned part ofthemanufactured “debtcrisis.”Afterthehurricane, the has shuttered schoolsas where thegovernment one ofthecommunities Apoyo Mutuo,Bartolois work oftheCentros de As oneexampleofthe formation andorganizing. healing, andpolitical managing traumaand and distributionofseeds, rescue, multiplication WAS ADAILY STRUGGLETO SURVIVE.SCOTT BARBÉS CAMINERO WEEKS FOLLOWING HURRICANEMARÍA]WASN’T ARALLY. IT OF THEPEOPLE,WITHPEOPLEASPROTAGONISTS. IT[THE ESTABLISHED MUTUAL AIDCENTERSTO ATTEND TO THENEEDS JUMPED INSHOWED WHAT PUERTO RICOCOULDBELIKE.WE ALL OUT. THESTATE DISAPPEARED.THEMOVEMENTS THAT INDEPENDENCE WAS LIKE.THERADIO,TELEPHONEWERE WHEN HURRICANEMARÍAHIT, WEGOT TO EXPERIENCE WHAT 41 | Protesta y Propuesta this was the first agricultural vocational school in Puerto , Rico that had an agricultural cooperative) and we are forming Elisa Sanchez of Centros de Apoyo Mutuo Jíbaro Bartolo Elisa Sanchez of Centros de Apoyo in 2015. After the hurricane, a explains: “The School was closed rescued and occupied it group of people from the community Mutuo Jíbaro Bartolo. In with the support of Centro de Apoyo several community projects but this process we have integrated the priority of rescuing and occupying was to offer housing to a group of small farmers from the community that had been abandoned by the government after the hurricane and a group of single women families who lost their rental homes that were not repaired by the landlords. When the project started, we made several alliances such as with the Architecture School to make a design to transform the classrooms into homes. We currently have 14 apartments and 12 families living in the school. We set up a solar energy system that provides energy to homes, Teatro Café, and the computer room. We are developing a project to rescue the agricultural school (founded in 1922 PHOTO BY BROOKE ANDERSON. A resident leaves his apartment in A resident occupied residents Bartolo, where a school closed by the government and converted it into solar-powered community housing with theatre, a media lab, collective kitchen, cultural museum, and medicinal garden.

Protesta y Propuesta | 42 mountains. have promoted thedisplacement ofthepeoplelivingin (for instance,thestate,capital,ecologicalcollapse)—that sustainable developmentandtoresist thestructuralforces of grassroots theirown powercapableofself-governing see peasant-jíbaracommunitiesreconstituted asthenucleus The Centros deApoyoMutuoJibaros (inruralareas) wantto tomatoes, andbeets,amongothersgrowinganimals.” agroecological projectsplantingbananas,platanos,coffee, foods) factoryinthefuture. We are alsoimplementing apastel(andothercommunitytraditional intention offorming a pastel(traditionalPuertoRicanFood)production withthe Rightnowwearemembers andsupportlocalfarmers. making a micro-enterprise cooperativetogivejobscommunity credit unions. institutionssuchascooperativesand the valueofself-governed This isonewaythateveryday PuertoRicansgottoexperience the bankswere rationingATM withdrawalsduetolackofcash. unions provided theirmemberswithaccesstocashwhen anchored bythecredit unions. AfterHurricaneMaría,credit y Credito, entityforallthecooperativesthatis agovernance There isacooperativeofcooperatives,CooperativasdeAhorro The cooperativemovementhasastrong historyinPuertoRico. medicine, andaudiovisualmedia. such ascooperatives,subsistenceagriculture, traditional from thepeasantjíbara’s traditionsandnewsocialformations Apoyo Mutuoare usinginstrumentsofsocial actioncoming communities toresist displacement.Some oftheCentros de these dimensionsofcommunitysovereignty andempower assert thatthebasisforagrassroots counter-power beginswith sovereignty, andorganizational sovereignty. Thejibaro CAM’s sovereignty, educational/recreational sovereignty, economic constituted byfourinterconnected dimensions:food/medicinal jibara communitiesare subject.Thecommunitysovereignty is and subordination—inbodyspirit—towhichthepeasant- management initiativesthatbreaktherelationsofdomination which refers toaproactive relational process ofgrassroots powerin community sovereignty. Theconceptofcommunitysovereignty The peasant,orjíbaro, visionoverlapswith whattheycall inventiveness andresistance cometogethertocreate self- 43 | Protesta y Propuesta nd themselves mation even before they necessarily start mation even before Many Puerto Rican social movement leaders repeatedly leaders repeatedly Many Puerto Rican social movement most successful when they were that they were expressed of the material conditions on both grounded in a clear analysis Transformation and base- the ground and a vision for Just immediate needs. If people’s around building and organizing that meet structures right, they said, we can build we organize needs in times of crisis (during both the shocks and people’s people fi mutual aid, and where slides) through building a just transfor identifying as “activists” or “leftists.” . PHOTO BY BROOKE ANDERSON Elisa Sanchez of Centros de Apoyo de Apoyo Elisa Sanchez of Centros Bartolo (left) speaks Mutuo Jíbaro with members of the delegation.

Protesta y Propuesta | 44 America andtheCaribbean. other GlobalSouthsocialmovements,especiallyinLatin exchanges, theyare buildingtrustingrelationships with andsovereignty.determination, Through theselearning self- their politicalpowertoachievejusttransformation, movements are growing theirmilitancyandstrengthening are keystrategiesthrough whichPuertoRicansocial exchange withsocialmovementsaround theworld (orpoliticaleducation)andmutual Political formation borders. Building grassroots solidarity&internationalismacross MANY MOVEMENTS BUILDING AMOVEMENT OF in theZapatistasWomen more Encounters tolearn about other Indigenous-jíbara women havealsobeenparticipating Women from Organización Boricuá, Comedores Sociales,and one thatismore just.” realityand developstrategicactionplanstotransform toward skills andtechniques,buildcriticalanalysesofcurrent contexts, people infullyengagingcollectivemovement work,share “include educationofthemind,body, andspirittosupport In thewords ofMST, exchangesandpoliticalformation learning organizes suchamassivemovement. strategiesforlandoccupationandhowtheMST school tolearn movement leadershavebeenattendingMST’s radicalpolitical reclaimed, unproductivelandinBrazil.PuertoRicansocial agriculture model,andsettlingthousandsoffamilieson the rightsofpeasantfamiliestoland,challengingindustrial million members.For35years,theMSThasbeendefending MST isthelargest peasantmovementin LatinAmericawith1.5 Brazil, whichisalsoaGrassroots partner. International The Rurais SemTerra (MST),theLandlessWorkers Movementof all beensendingleaderstoMovimentodosTrabalhadores las Promesas, andlaColectiva FeministaenConstrucciónhave For example,losComedores seAcabaron Sociales,laJornada 45 | Protesta y Propuesta how the Zapatistas are building their autonomy and self- their autonomy building Zapatistas are how the Internationalgovernance. has been supporting Grassroots society Enlace Civil—a civil through autonomy work Zapatista the behest of, and serving the founded at organization movement in of, the autonomous indigenous interest expressed Chiapas. organize Mutuo Jíbaros de Apoyo the Centros Additionally, Internationala learning partner exchange with Grassroots / Black Fraternal Negra Hondureña OFRANEH (Organización Honduras) to learn of Fraternal about how the Organization People in Honduras defend their Garifuna Afro-Indigenous and ancestral agriculture ancestral territories and exchange practices. agroecological Internationalism is at the center of Puerto Rican social to Comedores According movements’ ideologies and praxis. Sociales, internationalism and the connections with other the world allow them to deeply understand movements around because what is happening Puerto Rican political realities For example, while the debt has in Puerto Rico is not new. social become a focal point of Puerto Rican recently more around been organizing movements, other countries have taking in Puerto Rico are this since the 1980s. Movements siblings in Haiti that have advantage of the wisdom of their Boricuá has this struggle. Also, Organización faced already alliances and exchanging knowledge and been building strong food to strengthen strategies with peasants in the Caribbean level. and build power at the bioregional sovereignty and across This social movement exchange and coordination critical mass in place and between bioregions—developing then radiating out into other places—is what the Just Transition framework calls trans-local organizing.

Protesta y Propuesta | 46 militancy), are leadingPuertoRico’s liberationmovement. Women andqueers,bringinga“doble militancia”(double ECONOMY PILLAR OFTHEEXTRACTIVE HETEROPATRIARCHY ASA DISMANTLING working-class women, queerwomen,andwomenof imperialist collectivefrom differentwalksoflife,including (Feminist Collectivein Formation),ananti-racist,anti- chance tomeetwithlaColectivaFeminista en Construcción in PuertoRicoarewomenandqueerwomen. Wegota So muchofwhoisholdingdownsocialmovement building about La Colectiva Feministaen about LaColectiva Vanessa Contreras Capóspeaks PHOTO BYBROOKEANDERSON. Construcción. 47 | Protesta y Propuesta by the Combahee River by the Combahee collective Collective, the mobilizes to create collective popular power, and political analysis holds consciousness, feminist schools, and trains its members to be spokespeople. Vanessa Contreras Capó called it a “doble Capó called Contreras spokespeople. Vanessa that women hold in social militancia” (double militancy) to militant resistance movements in Puerto Rico (meaning on to say and racism). She went colonialism, patriarchy, is the The problem the hurricane. wasn’t “The problem not just against the government. We’re system. We’re our people with or without the of going to take care government,means necessary.” by any different ages and social groups who converged through through who converged groups and social ages different Rico, including in Puerto resistance struggles various and anti- anti-racist, movements, anti-colonial, student Inspired struggles, and LGBTTIQ movements. patriarchal VANESSA CONTRERAS CAPÓ CONTRERAS VANESSA GOVERNMENT, BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY. BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY. GOVERNMENT, GOING TO TAKE CARE OF OUR PEOPLE WITH OR WITHOUT THE CARE OF OUR PEOPLE WITH OR TAKE GOING TO SYSTEM. WE’RE NOT JUST AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT. WE’RE WE’RE JUST AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT. NOT SYSTEM. WE’RE THE PROBLEM WASN’T THE HURRICANE. THE PROBLEM IS THE THE HURRICANE. THE PROBLEM WASN’T

Protesta y Propuesta | 48 and madeviolentcommentsagainstpoliticalopponents. victims, mademisogynisticandhomophobiccomments, chats publishedinwhichRosellómockedHurricaneMaría Roselló. Protests were catalyzedby900pagesofgroup calling fortheresignation Ricardo ofthen-Governor with massmobilizationsofupwards ofhalfamillionpeople news In July2019,PuertoRicanscaptivatedinternational movement organization. Moments ofmassmobilizationbuiltondecadessocial #RICKYRENUNCIA Specifically, theydemanded: junta and continued todemandthatallcorruptpoliticians go,thatla implied, thepeopledidn’tstopwithg office, butliketheslogan“Rickyrenuncia,yllevate laJunta” The protests notonlysuccessfullybootedRosellófrom 4,000. despite increasing evidencethattheactualnumberwasover official deathtollofHurricaneMaríaat64lives for months maintainedthe Fueling popularragewasthatthegovernor laundering, andothercorruptioncharges. education andhealthcare—were lateraccusedoffraud,money members ofhiscabinet—includingthepeopleincharge of proposing pensions.Meanwhile,top cutsongovernment schools, cuttingfundingfortheUniversityofPuertoRico,and measures. Thosemeasures included:closinghundreds ofpublic administration hadbeenimplementingsevere austerity María hit.Bothbefore andafterthehurricane,Roselló’s Puerto Ricowasalready inadeeprecession before Hurricane María. the archipelagowasat rampant corruptioninRoselló’sadministrationatatimewhen “TelegramGate.” Rather, themobilizationswere reacting tothe just therevelation ofthechats,oras peoplecalledit, However, theprotests were inresponse tomuchmore than PROMESA go,andthat the debtbeaudited. itsmostvulnerablefollowingHurricane overnor. They 49 | Protesta y Propuesta ess the spate of ough the courts: accountability, not impunity. courts: accountability, ough the Declaration of a state of emergency to addr state of emergency Declaration of a land, public education, of public services, Protection the right rights against privatization, and pensions and labor to protest. Prosecution of those accused of corruption and abuses corruption and accused of of those Prosecution thr public and an audit of the $72 billion their neoliberal plan, public participation. debt through femicides and violence against women in the archipelago against women in the archipelago femicides and violence the right to an abortion. and to protect Dismantling of the Fiscal Control Board (la junta) and ending Fiscal Control Board (la junta) Dismantling of the f f f The near-month of sustained actions were built on the decades built of sustained actions were The near-month that had organizing of anti-imperialist, feminist, basebuilding of the above-named been done on the island, with many partners!) at the center, (our grantees and future organizations en Construcción, whose especially La Colectiva Feminista critical model provided horizontal, or leaderfull, organizing leadership in the mass demonstrations. f f f Following the resignation of Gov. Rosselló, a series of people’s Following the resignation of Gov. Puerto Rico as a way to assemblies were organized throughout and practice radical keep the popular movement going assemblies to engage The work of holding popular democracy. their own democracy was critical in the people in redesigning “building the new” towards channeling the popular resistance collective capacity to vision and in a way that strengthened lives and communities. develop as leaders of their own f

Protesta y Propuesta | 50 for JustRecovery Transition Framework IsNot:ACritical IsInevitable,Justice Movement Generation: Proposal Puerto RicanPeople’s ShiftFrom Assemblies Protest to Jacobin: Puerto RicoafterHurricaneMaria Agroecology asaTool ofSovereignty in andResilience Civil Eats: in PuertoRico AreFeminists andLGBTQActivists Insurrection the Leading The Nation: forParadise The Battle Naomi Klein: Moving toward aJustRecovery Climate JusticeAlliance: PUERTO RICO ADDITIONAL READINGSANDRESOURCESON 51 | Protesta y Propuesta We have been building trust relationships based on aligned based on aligned have been building trust relationships We values and political principles with social movements and grassroots organizations working towards decolonizing the archipelago. We are also supporting them in protecting the integrity of the social movements. Our long haul political commitment is to fund the resistance and alternatives that will lead to Puerto Rico’s decolonization while accompanying We quickly learned quickly self-managed movements about the radical We based on working at the grassroots, archipelago, the across to identify their own the capacity and potential of communities and build long-term their own reconstruction, needs, organize learned about how their We and resistance. collective resilience including on multiple sovereignties, work is centered rebuilding energy independence and territorial and food sovereignty, solidarity economy, as well as an understsanding of grassroots feminisms’ important political role in pushing a transformational vision. Grassroots did an initial round of Just Recovery emergency response grants to several groups in Puerto Rico, and our solidarity work has evolved into ongoing programmatic support for long-term movement building. In the immediate aftermath of 2017’s hurricane season, In the immediate aftermath of 2017’s emergency funding to Grassroots made a decision to do Rico, and other groups that support our political allies in Puerto to we knew were resisting disaster capitalism and committed in the context of social doing community-based just recovery transformation. Grassroots International global people in the U.S. with connects Grassroots food, seeds, and water, defend land, territory, movements that causes of injustice the root we address the earth. Together human and build alternatives that nurture and oppression, do this through We rights, ecological justice, and liberation. leadership. philanthropic grantmaking, social action, and ABOUT GRASSROOTS INTERNATIONAL ABOUT GRASSROOTS

Protesta y Propuesta | 52 community r culture, wellness,spiritualityandsanctuaryinbuilding internationally; andrecognizingtheimportanceofhealing,art, grassroots organizing;buildingsolidarityintheregionand nurturing systemicchange.Itincludesproperlyresourcing Our fundingstrategyinvolvesafull-spectrumapproachto political andfundingaccountability, trust,andhard work. with on accompanyingsocialmovementsforthelong-term, constantly improve ourmodelofsolidarityphilanthropy based This kindofrelationship buildinghasthepotentialtohelpus and moveforward theiragendaofjusticeandliberation. social movementsandfrontline communitiesastheybuild ALLIES INPUERTO RICO: GRASSROOTS INTERNATIONAL’S PARTNERS AND • • • • • • • • • • Junte Gente La Coordinadora PazPara lasMujer AgitArte The ColectivoIlé Casa Pueblo Rico Organización Boricuáde Agricultura EcológicadePuerto SeAcabar La Jornada Colectiva FeministaenConstrucción Comedores SocialesdePuerto Rico Centros deApoyoMutuo Jíbaros esilience andresistance. on lasPromesas es 53 | Protesta y Propuesta Movement Generation Justice & Ecology Project inspires and inspires Ecology Project Movement Generation Justice & the liberation and engages in transformative action towards in vibrant rooted are We culture. and of land, labor, restoration communities and Black, social movements led by low-income communities committed to Indigenous, and people of color and pollution and towards profit a just transition away from and life-affirming local economies. resilient healthy, dozens of co-founders of Movement Generation is one of co-chairs the and currently the Climate Justice Alliance (CJA) and implements curriculum steering committee. MG develops political education and tools, training for trainers, multi-day praxis and workshops, cultural production, strategy retreats, in concert with grassroots work to advance a just transition seek models continually We movement organizers. and groups communities so that across and stories to lift up and share each others’ work. Over can better learn from organizers and participated in intentional the years, MG has organized in places like Detroit, organizations exchanges with grassroots LA, Portland, and Puerto Rico and with the Boston, Buffalo, Movement (MST) of Brazil. Landless Workers’ history of learning and recent comes out of more This report exchanges with our comrades in Puerto Rico. After Hurricane to fill the Arctic Maria in 2017, CJA worked with Greenpeace Sunrise ship with supplies to bring to farmers Rico in Puerto long-term food to rebuild efforts to help the on-the-ground members of Movement Generation supported two sovereignty. the our political home community to be on that ship and share in Puerto Rico, along Framework with organizers Just Transition ABOUT MOVEMENT GENERATION ABOUT MOVEMENT

Protesta y Propuesta | 54 Inevitable, Justice Is Not: A Critical FrameworkforJust IsNot:ACritical Inevitable, Justice while actinginsolidarity.In2018,MGwroteTransitionIs prioritize learningfromPuertoRicansocialmovementgroups towards thesystemicshiftsweneed,havecontinuedto ecologicalandpoliticalshocksslides capacity toharness As MGworkstosupportorganizers indevelopingourcollective stories ofjustrecovery inaction. Framework Zine.Thesemembersbrought backandshared with severalboxesoftheSpanishversionJustTransition communities across theUSandaround theworld. work andcontinuetobeamovementbuildingbridgeother recovery inPuertoRico,and hopetocontributethrough our deeply inspired bythepowerfulworkofjusttransition andjust lessons tootherfrontline organizers. We remain humblyand fromThis thensupportsourworktolearn andhelpdisseminate contribute from ourskillsettogroups weare inrelationship to. Our commitmentistouplift,support,andwhere r Organización Boricua. our partnershipswithCJAmembergroups suchasUPROSEand to buildrelationships andshared workinPuertoRico,through Rico. Thisdocumentisaresult ofthatprocess. MGcontinues Justice retreat forfundersandmovementorganizers inPuerto Grassroots International’s JustTransformation &Ecological In June2019,MGsentstaff from tobothtrainandlearn organizers increasingly havingtorespond tocrises. betweenfrontlineRecovery toaidintheexchangeoflearning

equested, 55 | Protesta y Propuesta Designed by Innosanto Nagara. Printed by Red Sun Press. Grassroots International would like Generation and Movement Grassroots this report who made to everyone our appreciation to express possible: and allies in Puerto Rico: partners International’s Grassroots de Sociales Comedores Jíbaros, de Apoyo Mutuo Centros Organización Feminista en Construcción, Puerto Rico, Colectiva La Jornada Ecológica de Puerto Rico, Boricuá de Agricultura The Colectivo Ilé, Casa Pueblo, las Promesas, Se Acabaron Junte Gente; Para las Mujeres, Paz AgitArte, La Coordinadora June 2019 Rebelde; the co-sponsors of the Ausuba; Cocina Chorus Foundation, delegation (EDGE Funders Alliance, Donors Network); members of the June 2019 Women Kheprw Institute; Climate Justice delegation; PUSH Buffalo; and Jeannie Peter Bokor Alliance; and donors Maria Aguiar, Mar Fund at the New World Blaustein, Chorus Foundation, El Jobin-Leeds, Libra and Greg Foundation, Sam Jacobs, Maria New Visions McKinley, Foundation, Linda Mason, Micky NormandieFoundation, Elaine Nonneman, Foundation, Donors and Women Salomon Family Foundation, Solidaire, would also like to thank the BEAI Fund for Network. We in Puerto Rico as well additional support for groups providing Santiago, Puerto Rican as Gustavo García and Ruth ”Tata” Board, for their guidance. members of BEAI Fund Advisory APPRECIATIONS

Protesta y Propuesta | 56

Grassroots International Movement Generation 179 Boylston Street 436 14th Street, 5th floor Boston, MA 02130 Oakland, CA 94612 GrassrootsOnline.org movementgeneration.org